


Tony Stark: Collector of the Lost and Broken

by LaufeiaEvans



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Angst, Feels, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-25
Updated: 2012-08-25
Packaged: 2017-11-12 21:22:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/495777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LaufeiaEvans/pseuds/LaufeiaEvans
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Tony’s a collector, he collects broken things, lost things, too many for him to keep track. But those two, fucked up as they are, they’re his prized pieces. He loves them more than a man should love another. He needs them, they keep him sane. And God save whatever sorry soul tries to take them from him."<br/>(Inspired by batty4u's art on Tumblr)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tony Stark: Collector of the Lost and Broken

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Untitled](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/61614) by batty4u. 



> Inspired by a late-night Twitter discussion and some amazing art on Tumblr.  
> Dedicated to Nat, Sam, and Jenna, the ones who made me write it and later threatened bodily harm for giving them so many feels.

Tony knew about Bruce the first time they worked together. Bruce was a lost and broken man; anyone could see that. But most people saw him as a monster. No one blamed him, of course, but that didn’t change the fact that he was the Hulk, and everyone knew the Hulk was a monster.

Everyone but Tony.

Bruce hesitantly accepted Tony’s invitation to have a look at Stark Tower’s extensive laboratory equipment. Tony could tell he was still leery about being around people. People he could lose. People he could hurt.

Tony wanted to work with the man in the name of scientific curiosity. This man was the world’s leading expert on gamma radiation before the accident. Even now, he knew more about nuclear physics than pretty much anyone. But Bruce didn’t just teach Tony about science. He revealed a lot about himself in that first visit. And it was enough to make Tony crave more.

Tony was pretty sure he was the only person in the Universe who treated Bruce like a normal human being. Everyone else was careful, always tiptoeing around him like he was some sort of time bomb. Tony supposed he was, in a way. But he had his emotions under control. That was obvious. Why should Tony have to go out of his way to be careful?

Bruce seemed to notice, too. He shot Tony incredulous looks almost constantly, as if he couldn’t believe that anyone would consider him safe to be around without always watching their step. And Tony did. He treated Bruce like he treated everyone else; granted, that wasn’t exactly a good thing, but Bruce didn’t show any signs of disapproval.

When Bruce had finished exploring the lab, Tony said he was welcome to come by whenever he wanted. He was met with a completely bewildered stare.

“What? What’s wrong?”

Bruce laughed softly, shaking his head. “You are unbelievable.”

“What did I do?”

Bruce gestured around the room. “You…you just…” He sighed, unsure of what to say. “You’re the only person who actually wants to be around me.”

Tony blinked. “Seriously? That’s ridiculous.”

Bruce looked at him in disbelief. “No, it’s not.”

Tony scoffed. “What, because of the Hulk?” He was also the only one of the Avengers who dared to mention the other guy in front of Bruce. “Look, I don’t know if they don’t notice this or what, but you’re not the Hulk. You’re only him when you get really angry, and honestly I don’t see that happening right now.”

Bruce stared at him for a moment, open-mouthed and utterly speechless. His face broke slowly into a smile and he breathed a shaky laugh, still shaking his head. “Thank you, Tony,” he said quietly.

Tony couldn’t help himself. Bruce looked so broken, so alone, that he just couldn’t help himself. He pulled Bruce into a hug, holding him close, promising himself that he would never let him go.

“Can I keep you?” he found himself asking. Bruce giggled—he actually giggled—and pulled back to look at Tony.

“You want to keep me?” he asked, an amused smile on his face.

“Well…yeah.”

Bruce laughed softly. “All right.”

Bruce came back to Stark Tower every day, without fail, for the next six weeks. Tony cared for him just like he’d promised, and Bruce was quick to return the favor. The first time Bruce needed a shoulder to cry on, Tony was there. The first time Tony needed someone to babysit him after drinking himself sick, Bruce was there. He and Tony were friends, nothing more; but sometimes, that wasn’t enough. The first time they fell asleep in each other’s arms, they reached a silent, mutual agreement that their relationship was more than just friendship. They weren’t dating in the traditional sense of the word, but they had this indefinable connection that was fucked up and amazing and perfect and all theirs.

And Tony wouldn’t have it any other way.

——————————————————-

Clint was different. He was always different. For one thing, they didn’t start out as friends. When they collapsed into Tony’s bed in the dead of night, drunk as all hell and already half-naked, it wasn’t because they liked each other. They both needed release, and they both happened to be in the same place at the same time. So when they had drunken wild animal sex throughout most of the night, it was a matter of convenience more than anything else. But when six weeks had gone by and their nightly escapades had become almost routine, they could no longer deny the fact that it was more than just hate sex.

They didn’t talk much. They didn’t need to. They could say plenty in a silent glance from across the room. Tony knew that Clint came back, kept coming back, because he needed to. This was the only way he could think of to forget about whatever was haunting him. And he was pretty sure he knew what that was.

“It’s Natasha, isn’t it?” he asked one morning, while Clint was dressing.

Clint was silent for a moment. His expression was solid, as always, giving nothing away. Finally, he replied.

“Yeah. It’s Natasha.”

“You mind telling me what happened? It might help to talk about it.” God, he was beginning to sound like Steve.

Clint steeled himself and turned to face Tony. “We were friends,” he began. “Just friends. We had to pretend to be a couple for a mission once, and somehow we ended up sleeping together. We started this whole friends-with-benefits thing, and I kinda took it a little too seriously. She didn’t like that.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “We’re still friends and all that, but…well, I miss her.”

Tony nodded. He patted Clint on the shoulder. “That’s rough.”

Clint didn’t cry. Not the way Bruce did. He’d been trained not to show emotion, and he used that skill even off-duty. Tony was the same way; he’d spent years perfecting his ability to mask all emotions and appear completely apathetic. And although their arrangement didn’t change that for either of them, they were more open with each other than they’d ever been before. Clint knew things about Tony that even Pepper didn’t know. And Tony knew things about Clint that he didn’t think had ever been spoken aloud to anyone but him. Here Tony was again, with this indefinable, perfect clusterfuck of a relationship that he never wanted to do without.

——————————————————-

They knew, of course. They’d known, they’d suspected since the beginning that they were sharing Tony. Somehow, though, it didn’t seem to matter.

Clint and Bruce found each other one morning when Clint had woken up first and Bruce had arrived early. They didn’t say anything, just exchanged knowing nods and slight smiles. Bruce made his way down to the lab while Clint continued into the kitchen to make coffee. And if he snuck down to the lab with a cup for Bruce before Tony woke up, well, nobody needed to know.

They found each other again a week later, when Tony was in Malibu for some business engagement. Despite his absence, they found themselves back at Stark Tower simply for lack of anywhere else to be. They both essentially lived there, anyway. It wasn’t like they weren’t welcome.

With Tony gone, both of them were lost. He’d been such a huge part of both of their lives recently that neither of them knew what to do without him. It seemed only natural that they turned to each other for comfort.

When Clint first kissed Bruce, it wasn’t just out of pity. He wanted Bruce to be happy, because whether he thought so or not, he deserved it. But he also kissed Bruce because he wanted it, too. Not just the kissing, either; he wanted Bruce. Kind, sweet, humble Bruce who didn’t even realize that anyone could love him. He wanted to kiss him forever, soft and sweet, and show him just how much he could be loved.

Bruce kissed him back, slow and hesitant, careful not to get too excited for fear of hurting Clint. Clint wanted to show him that it didn’t matter, that he knew Bruce wouldn’t hurt him, Hulk or no Hulk. He kissed him deeply, and Bruce responded, relaxing against him.

They finally broke apart, and Bruce stared up at Clint with warm brown eyes. He looked away quickly, muttering to himself, a litany of “I don’t deserve this, oh god Clint, I don’t deserve you…”

Clint took Bruce’s face in his hands, forcing him to look up at him. He kissed him softly again and looked him right in the eyes.

“You deserve love, Bruce.”

——————————————————-

Tony didn’t mind. Especially when he returned from Malibu and found both Clint and Bruce sleeping soundly on his couch together, Clint assuming a protective stance over Bruce even in his sleep. Tony smiled despite himself. They didn’t have the most normal of relationships, but they were his, both of them; his prized possessions. And he loved them. More than he’d ever loved anything before. He wasn’t going to let them go.

Tony quickly set his things down and got out of his jacket. He did his best to climb onto the couch without waking them up. Fortunately, Bruce was a pretty heavy sleeper, but with Clint he wasn’t so lucky. The archer watched him with one eye open until Tony realized that he was awake.

“Hey,” he whispered.

Clint smiled softly. “You’re back.”

Tony nodded. “I…I see you’ve met…” he gestured between Clint and Bruce.

Clint laughed silently. “Yes, we’ve met.”

Tony smiled. “That’s good.”

Tony carefully settled in on top of Bruce, sliding underneath his arms. The other scientist adjusted in his sleep, subconsciously pulling Tony closer. Tony and Clint both smiled at that.

Clint reached out and took one of Tony’s hands. “We missed you,” he whispered, staring at his fingers.

“I missed you, too,” echoed Tony in a low voice. “Both of you.”

Clint nodded, giving Tony’s hand a soft squeeze.

“Welcome home.”


End file.
